JPH0612553B2 - Electronic document retrieval device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic document search device.

(Prior Art) As a check method for retrieval of digitized documents, there is a method in which an attribute having the property of an interval scale is regarded as a coordinate axis and each document is indexed as a point in a multidimensional coordinate space. An index based on a multidimensional coordinate space is highly expressive, and is useful for organizing and searching by attributes such as the atmosphere of a document that cannot be clearly defined.

When viewing electronic documents that have been searched, it is usual to specify the search conditions, perform a search, and then actually check each document. The search condition specified for the multidimensional space structure specifies the subspace in the multidimensional space with the attribute axis, and the browsing (para-page turning) of search result documents must move in this subspace. Equivalent to.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the retrieved electronic documents are not displayed in an organized manner. Generally, when browsing to find a desired one from multiple digitized documents searched by the search condition specification, especially when the number of digitized documents searched by the search condition specification is small However, if the number of retrieved electronic documents is large, it is easier to find the desired electronic document if the electronic documents are sorted and displayed. In addition, regarding the entire multiple digitized documents searched by the specified conditions,
Even when you want to analyze or grasp the outline, it is more effective and efficient to use the organized information.

In particular, the classification by the interval scale has high expressiveness, but it has a problem that it is difficult to grasp the meaning and the relationship between axes, and it is difficult to search and browse. In order to quickly find the target document from the retrieved document set in the inspection in the multidimensional space, it is necessary to know the composition of the subspace and the current position in the multidimensional space to determine the appropriate moving direction. It is necessary to decide. However, according to the conventional method, it is not possible to determine the moving direction during browsing using the configuration of the partial space which is the search condition and the position information of the document currently displayed. In addition, since the browsing instruction method does not reflect the configuration of the multidimensional space, there is no method of moving in that direction even if the moving direction is determined, and there is no choice but to perform exhaustive browsing. is there.

Furthermore, in the search using the index method based on the multidimensional spatial structure, not all search conditions are determined from the beginning, but the results searched under some conditions are analyzed and the target document (or Search conditions are often added so that a document set) can be obtained. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the position of the retrieved document in the multi-dimensional space and use it to add a new retrieval condition.

The first object of the present invention is to solve such problems and automatically arrange and present the retrieved electronic documents in a form that is easy to understand and grasp, thereby analyzing the search results and the desired documents. It is to provide a browsing device that facilitates the discovery of. More specifically, in the present invention, particularly in the search using the index based on the interval scale, the configuration of the subspace which is the search condition and the position information in the multidimensional space of the currently displayed document are compared with the determination of the browsing direction. The information can be used as appropriate advice data to improve the information retrieval efficiency.

A second object of the present invention is to use the configuration of a subspace, which is a search condition, and the position information in the multidimensional space of the document currently being displayed, to indicate the browsing direction in the search using the index based on the interval scale. To provide a method to do.

A third object of the present invention is to determine a new search condition in the search using the index based on the interval scale, by determining the configuration of the subspace that is the search condition and the position information in the multidimensional space of the document currently displayed. -To provide a method to be used for instructions.

(Means for Solving Problems) According to the present invention, in a retrieval device for an apparatus for storing and displaying an electronic document, an input unit for inputting information of an instruction regarding retrieval of the electronic document and the electronic document are stored. Document storing means, multidimensional structure storing means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing an electronic document by a plurality of axes, axis selecting means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storing means, Axis display information creating means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selecting means and organizing search result documents, and display output from the axis display information creating means and display means stomach for displaying the corresponding electronic document And the data from the document storage means and the data from the multidimensional space structure storage means are controlled according to the output of the input means, and the display hand is generated via the axis display information creating means. Electronic document search apparatus comprising control means for supplying the above is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, in a search device of a device for storing and displaying an electronic document, an input unit for inputting information of an instruction regarding inspection / selection of the electronic document, and a document storage unit for storing the electronic document. A multi-dimensional spatial structure storing means for storing a multi-dimensional spatial structure for organizing an electronic document by a plurality of axes; and a corresponding document selected from the document storing means in accordance with the document selection instruction information input from the input means. Document selecting means, axis selecting means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storing means, axis for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selecting means, and organizing search result documents Display information creating means, display means for displaying output from the axis display information creating means and a corresponding electronic document, and the document storing means selected by the document selecting means Control means for controlling the data from the multidimensional space structure storing means selected by the axis selecting means according to the output of the input means, and supplying the data on the display means via the axis display information creating means. An electronic document retrieval device including and is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, in a search device of a device for storing and displaying a digitized document, an input means for inputting information of an instruction regarding the search for the digitized document, and a document storage means for storing the digitized document. , A multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing an electronic document by a plurality of axes, and a search condition holding means for holding search condition information,
Search condition setting / changing means for setting / changing the contents of the search condition holding means, and document selecting means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storing means in accordance with the document selection instruction information input from the input means, Axis selecting means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional space structure storing means, and axis display information creating means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selecting means and organizing search result documents
Display output from the axis display information creating means and display means for displaying the corresponding electronic document, data from the document storing means selected by the document selecting means, and the multidimensional space selected by the axis selecting means There is obtained an electronic document retrieving apparatus including control means for controlling the data from the structure storing means according to the output of the input means and supplying the data to the display means via the axis display information creating means.

(Operation) In the present invention, the configuration of the subspace given as the search condition is visually displayed as an axis spanning the subspace and a range on the axis. Further, the position of the currently displayed document in the multidimensional space is visually displayed as coordinates on the axis specified as the search condition and the selected axis. That is, with respect to the axis designated as the search condition, the axis display information creating means displays the organized headline displaying the corresponding axis on the display means together with the corresponding document. Further, similar information is displayed for the axis selected from the axes not specified as the search condition. For example, the range on the attribute axis of "freshness", "flexibility", and "friendliness" is given as the search condition, and the display means displays when the axes of "newness" and "activity" are selected. Fig. 4 (a)
Shown in. In this example, the search target range is represented by a rectangle on the axis, and the position of the document being displayed is represented by a dot.

Further, these display information can be used for inputting the document selection instruction information. For example, in FIG. 4 (a), when the position information of an asterisk on the axis of "newness" is input from the input means, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), in the search document set, The document whose position on the "newness" axis is closest to the input position and the position information of the document are displayed.

Further, these display information can be used for inputting search conditions. For example, in the state of FIG. 4 (b), FIG.
As shown in (c), when the rectangular information shown by the dotted line on the axis of "activity" is input, as shown in Fig. 4 (d),
The range of “activity” on the axis is added to the search condition, and the position on the “newness” axis is the first in the new search document set.
4 The document closest to the position entered in Fig. (A) and the position information of that document are displayed.

(Examples) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The input means 1 of this embodiment is a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball. If the operability is sacrificed a little, an input means such as a keyboard is also possible. As a result, it is possible to specify or change the search condition, and to specify a desired position on the attribute axis in the displayed organization heading. The document storage means 2 is means for storing generally digitized documents such as code data, graphic data or image data output by a word processor, and is composed of, for example, an optical disk device or a magnetic disk device.

The multidimensional space structure storage unit 3 is a unit that stores the axis number, the axis name, and the document number information corresponding to each position on each axis for a plurality of axes. The axis selecting means 4 is means for selecting an axis to be displayed based on the search condition information input from the input means 1.

FIG. 5 (a) is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the axis selecting means 4. The selected axis number storage means 41 of this embodiment is means for registering the number of axes to be selected. The selection order storage means 42 is means for storing a predetermined priority order among the axes stored in the multidimensional space structure storage means 3. The selection means 43 refers to the contents of the selection order storage means 42 based on the search condition information sent from the control means 44, and stores the number of selected axes in descending order of priority from the axes for which search conditions are not specified. It is a means for selecting the number of axes stored in the means 41.

FIG. 5 (b) is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the axis selecting means 4. The selected axis number storage means 45 of this embodiment is means for registering the number of axes to be selected. The search result analysis means 46 is means for analyzing the characteristics of the searched document. The selection means 42 follows the output of the search result analysis means 46,
It is a means for selecting the number of axes stored in the selected axis number storage means 45 from the axes for which the search condition is not specified. The control means 48 is means for controlling the input information from the outside and the output information of the search result analyzing means 46 and outputting the output information of the selecting means 47 to the outside. As an axis selection method based on the analysis of search results, for example, there is a method of selecting an axis having a large degree of dispersion (dispersion, range, etc.) of search result documents. This makes use of the fact that adding a search condition for an axis with a large degree of dispersion is an efficient narrowing method. Also, when analyzing search results, it is effective information about which axis has a large degree of dispersion. When this method is used, the search result analysis means 46 calculates the scatter degree of the values on the axis for which the search condition is not specified in the search result document. The selecting means 47 selects the number of axes stored in the selected axis number storage means 45 in descending order of the degree of dispersion according to the calculation result of the search result analyzing means 46.

FIG. 5 (c) is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the axis selecting means 4. The selected axis number storage means 49 of this embodiment is means for registering the number of axes to be selected. The selection means 50 is means for selecting the number of axes stored in the selected axis number storage means 49 from the axes for which the search condition is not specified, based on the axis selection information input from the input means 1. The control means 51 is
It is means for controlling input information from the outside and externally outputting the output information of the selecting means 50.

As described above, in the three embodiments of the axis selecting means 4, the number of axes to be selected is set in advance, but it is also possible to determine this at the time of execution. FIG. 6 (a) shows a first embodiment of the axis selecting means 4 when the number of selected axes is variable. In this embodiment, selection order storage means
Reference numeral 52 is a means for storing a predetermined priority order among the axes stored in the multidimensional space structure storage means 3. The selected axis number determining means 53 is a means for determining the number of axes to be selected based on the search condition information input from the input means. As a method of determining the number of axes, for example, there is a method in which the total of the number of axes for which search conditions are specified is the number of axes that can be displayed on the display unit 6. The selecting means 54 is means for selecting the number of axes determined by the selected axis number determining means 43 based on the contents of the selection order storage means 52. A second embodiment of the axis selecting means 4 when the number of selected axes is variable is shown in FIG. 6 (b).

In this embodiment, the search result analysis means 56 is means for analyzing the characteristics of the search result document. The selection axis number determining means 57,
It is means for determining the number of axes to be selected based on the output of the search result analysis means 56. As a method of determining the number of axes, for example, there is a method of setting the number of axes having a scatter value equal to or larger than a predetermined value. Further, FIG. 6 (c) shows a third embodiment of the axis selecting means 4 when the number of selected axes is variable. The selection means 60 is based on the axis selection information input from the input means 1,
Determine the number of axes and axis type.

The axis display information creation means 5 is designated as a search condition based on the information stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3 by the search condition information output from the input means 1 and the output of the axis selection means 4. It is means for creating display information about an axis and organizing retrieved documents along the axis.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an example of detailed processing of the axis display information creating means 5. First, sort key setting step 11 sets sort keys according to the attribute value of each document for a set of retrieved documents. Sorting is performed in ascending or descending order in the sorting process 12 based on this sort key. The information of this result and the information necessary for displaying the headline are set in steps 13 to 16. Step 13 is
This is a process of setting the document numbers arranged in the rearranged order by executing the sort. Step 14 is a process of setting the axis name for displaying the headline and the range information on the axis. Step 15
Is a process for setting the position information of the document to be displayed on the axis. Further, step 16 is a process of setting the number of the document to be currently displayed after sorting. Axis display information creation means creates such information
5, the actual operation is controlled by the control means 7 described later.

In the above example, all the axes for which the search target range is designated are displayed, but it is also possible to display only the selected axes.
In this case, in the embodiment of FIG. 5 (a) of the axis selecting means 4,
The selected axis number storage means 41 stores the total number of axes to be displayed. The selection means 43 refers to the contents of the selection order storage means 42,
Regardless of whether or not the search target range is designated, the number of axes stored in the selection order storage means 42 is selected in descending order of priority. Similarly, in the embodiment of the axis selecting means 4 shown in FIG. 5 (b), the selected axis number storage means 45 stores the total number of displayed axes. The search result analysis means 46 analyzes the characteristics of the search results for all the axes, and the selection means 47 selects the number of axes stored in the selected axis number storage means 45 regardless of whether or not the search target range is designated. select. Axis selection means
The same applies to the other four embodiments. Further, the axis display information creation means 5 performs processing by the output of the axis selection means 4 regardless of the search condition information input from the input means 1.

The method of displaying all the axes for which the search condition is specified is effective in achieving the purpose of grasping the configuration of the subspace specified as the search condition, but the number of axes that can be displayed on the display unit 5 is limited. In some cases, or when the main purpose is to add search conditions, the search range is specified for some of the axes for which the search range is specified when the characteristics of the search result document are clear. It is effective to display only the selected axes.

The means for actually displaying the relevant document, the axis name, the range on the axis, and the position on the axis of the relevant document is the display means 6, and the display means 6 is composed of a normal CRT display or the like.

Further, the control means 7 controls the data from the document storage means 2 and the data from the multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3 according to the output of the input means 1, and supplies the data to the display means 6 via the axis display information creating means 5. Is a means to do.

FIG. 8 shows control means when the input means 1 is realized by a mouse.
7 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed procedure of 7. First, from the search condition information and axis selection information, select the heading axis selection step.
21 defines the heading axis. In the document sorting step 22, document sorting is performed on the retrieved document set in the order of attribute values. Next, in step 23, information about the index axis and the currently set search target range is displayed. The display order of the axes may be the order of appearance in the search condition information and the selected order, or may be a predetermined priority order. In step 24, the first document after sorting the first axis is regarded as the relevant document, and in the relevant document displaying step 25, the actual document data is displayed. Also,
In response to this, the attribute value of the relevant document is displayed in the attribute value display step 26.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same number as the means in FIG.
It is a means having the same function. The document selection unit 8 is a unit that selects a corresponding document from the document storage unit 2 according to the document selection instruction information input from the input unit 1. That is, the document selecting means 8 uses the document number table set by the axis display information creating means 5 to select the document having the value closest to the designated value of the axis designated by the document selection instruction information.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 7 when the input means 1 is realized by Maaus. Step two
1 to 26 are the same processes as in FIG. In the mouse click detection step 27, it is detected whether or not the mouse is clicked, and if it is clicked, the process proceeds to step 28. If step 28 is not considered to be finished, step 29 detects the coordinates corresponding to the mouse cursor. If another document is located at the position to be displayed from the coordinates, the document selecting means 8 selects the corresponding document. Then, the process returns to the corresponding document display 25 and the same process as described above is performed. Further, if it is determined in step 28 that the end key is pressed or the end mouse button is clicked, for example, and the end is determined, the operation is completed.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same number as the means in FIG.
It is a means having the same function. Further, the search condition changing means 10 is means for changing the contents of the search condition holding means 9 according to the search condition information input from the input means 1.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 6 when the input means 1 is realized by a mouse. Step two
1 to 30 are the same processes as in FIG. In the mouse click detection step 27, it is detected whether or not the mouse is clicked, and if it is clicked, the process proceeds to step 28. If it is not regarded as the end in step 28, it is checked in step 31 whether or not the search condition is added. If the search condition is not added, the coordinates corresponding to the mouse cursor are detected in step 29. If another document is located at the position to be displayed from the coordinates, the document selecting means 8 selects the corresponding document. Then, the process returns to the corresponding document display 25 and the same process as described above is performed. If the search condition is added in step 31, the content of the search condition holding means 9 is changed by the search condition setting / changing means 10 in step 32. In step 33, sorting processing is performed on the new search document set. In step 34, the information about the index axis and the newly set search target range is displayed. Next step
At 35, the document selecting means 8 is used to select the document to be displayed based on the most recently input document selection instruction information. Returning to step 25, the above processing is repeated. Also, if
In step 28, for example, pressing the end key, or
When the end mouse button is clicked or the like and the end is considered, the operation is completed.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, when a search condition based on an attribute axis having the property of an interval scale is given, multifaceted document rearrangement / rearrangement and browsing using the same are performed. , Faltering is possible. Paper documents can only be organized one-dimensionally due to their physical restrictions, whereas electronic documents can be directly and easily organized by a multidimensional index. In particular, indexing with multidimensional space is highly expressive and can be organized from a viewpoint that cannot be clearly defined. The present invention solves the problem that it is difficult to grasp and analyze the overall configuration, and makes it easy to find a target document and grasp and analyze the overall tendency. In addition, since the headline is displayed visually, the user can specify the document easily and directly in order to browse the document.
Improved user interface.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a first embodiment of the electronic document search device of the present invention. 2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the second and third embodiments of the present invention, respectively. Further, FIGS. 4 (a), (b), (c), and (d) show the structure of the subspace and the display of the current position and the document selection instruction and the search condition for facilitating the understanding of the method of the present invention. Figures showing specific examples of use for input, FIGS. 5 and 6 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of the axis selecting means 4 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 is a first
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of detailed processing of the axis display information creating means 5 in the embodiment of the figure, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of detailed procedure of the control means 7 in the embodiment. Figure 9 shows
6 is a flowchart showing an example of detailed procedure of a control means 7 in the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a detailed example of the control means 7 in the embodiment of FIG. In the figure, 1 ... input means, 2 ... document storage means, 3 ... multidimensional space structure storage means, 4 ... axis selection means, 5 ... axis display information creation means, 6 ... display means, 7 ... … Control means, 8 …… Document selection means, 9 …… Search condition holding means, 10 …… Set search conditions
Means of change

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A search device for a device for storing and displaying a digitized document, comprising: input means for inputting information on an instruction relating to the search for the digitized document; document storage means for storing the digitized document; Multi-dimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multi-dimensional spatial structure for organizing electronic documents by axes, axis selection means for selecting the axes stored in the multi-dimensional spatial structure storage means, and selection by the axis selection means Axis display information creating means for creating display information of the selected axis and organizing search result documents, display means for displaying output from the axis display information creating means and corresponding electronic document, and document storing means Control means and the data from the multidimensional space structure storage means are controlled according to the output of the input means, and are supplied to the display means via the axis display information generating means. Electronic document search apparatus which comprises a. 2. A retrieval device for storing and displaying a digitized document, comprising: input means for inputting information on an instruction relating to search / selection of the digitized document; and document storage means for storing the digitized document. According to the document instruction information input from the input means, a multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing an electronic document by a plurality of axes,
Document selection means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storage means, axis selection means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional space structure storage means, and display information of the axis selected by the axis selection means are displayed. Axis display information creating means for creating and organizing search result documents, display means for displaying output from the axis display information creating means and corresponding electronic documents, and document storing means selected by the document selecting means Control means for controlling data from the multidimensional space structure storing means selected by the axis selecting means according to the output of the input means and supplying the data to the display means via the axis display information creating means. An electronic document retrieving apparatus comprising: 3. An inspection device for storing and displaying an electronic document, an input means for inputting information of an instruction regarding retrieval / selection of the electronic document, and a document storage means for storing the electronic document. A multi-dimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multi-dimensional spatial structure for organizing an electronic document by a plurality of axes, a search condition holding means for holding search condition information, and setting / changing the contents of the search condition holding means A search condition setting / changing means, a document selecting means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storing means in accordance with the document selecting instruction information inputted from the input means, and an axis stored in the multidimensional space structure storing means. Selecting means, axis display information creating means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selecting means, and organizing search result documents, and the axis display information creating means Display means for displaying and outputting the corresponding digitized document, data from the document storing means selected by the document selecting means, and data from the multidimensional spatial structure storing means selected by the axis selecting means Is controlled according to the output of the input means, and is supplied to the display means via the axis display information creating means.